Hypodermic syringe and cartridge



Aug. 8, 1939. .1. A. sAFFlR HYPODERMIC SYRINGE AND CARTRIDGE Original Filed Nov. 20. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 225. 1o JQ. 11

.1. A. sAFFlR 2,158,635

HYPODERMIC SYRIHGE AND CARTRIDGE Original Filed Nov. 20, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 3, 1939.

iii

Patented Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Jacob A. Sailir, Chicago,

lll., assignor to Multiple Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application November 20, 1934, Serial No. 753,826

Renewed April 13, 1938 1 Claim.

This invention relates to hypodermic syringes and to medicament-containing cartridges or ampules adapted for use in such syringes.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide new and improved cartridge or package containing medicament for use in a hypodermic syringe, characterized by the provision of a single cartridge preferably in the form of a tube divided interiorly by one or more longitudinal walls into a plurality of individual medicament-containing chambers, together with a suitable closure for one end of each chamber and a piston closure for the opposite end. A hypodermic cartridge having individual chambers of this kind each constituting in effect a separate ampule. is well adapted for selective use of the individual ampules in a hypodermic syringe in accordance with the teachings of my invention.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved hypodermic syringe adapted for use of plural chamber cartridges of the character described.

Another object of my invention is to provide a hypodermic syringe in which a multiple chamber cartridge such as disclosed herein may be indexed to bring the individual chambers into discharging relation with a plunger and a hypodermic needle, either selectively or in succession, at the will of the practitioner.

Another object is to provide la hypodermic cartridge having a plurality of individual interior chambers having different shape characteristics, that is, in respect to cross-sectional shape, for use in hypodermic syringes having correspondingly shaped plungers. In this connection I have aimed to provide for the use of hypodermic cartridges divided interiorly into individual medicament-containing chambers having any desired cross-sectional shape together with suitable pistons or Stoppers for the individual chambers.

Another object is to provide a hypodermic syringe in which the plunger acts only on a selected chamber t'o be emptied and is adapted to subsequently act on the one or more remaining chambers. f

Still a'nother object is to provide a new and improved hypodermic syringe in which the cartridge or ampule is moved bodily lengthwise in the barrel ofthe syringe in the medicament discharging stroke, together with mea-nsgfor moving the cartridge in the opposite direction in the barrel in a cartridge electing stroke. However. this new ejector is well adapted'for use in any of my inventionsA whether the hypodermic cartridge or ampule is moved bodily in the barrel in (Cl. 12S-218) a medicament discharging stroke, or whether it remains stationary during the discharging operation.

Other objects and attendant advantages will be lappreciated by those skilled in this art as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal section through a hypodermic syringe and a cartridge illustrating one form or embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of the loading end of the syringe with the plunger guiding cap removed and showing a cartridge in position;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the cartridge shown in Figure 1, removed from the syringe;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modified form of closure for the lower end of said cartridge;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through a syringe and cartridge of another form in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the cartridge shown in Fig. 5, removed from the syringe;

Fig. 'l is an end View of the cartridge shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side view of the lower portion of the syringe shown in Fig. 5, and

Figs. 9-14 inclusive show different cross-sectional shapes of plural chamber cartridges in accordance with my invention.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 I have shown a cartridge designated generally by I5 formed of a tube divided diametrically from end to end by an interior wall I6 into individual chambers I1 and I8, The tubular body as well as the interior partition may be of glass or any other suitable material, This applies to all of the cartridges made in accordance with my invention; and it should be understood that my invention is not restricted to the method of manufacture, but comprehends production of these cartridges by fabrication or by molding, or combinations of these steps. Where the cartridge is of glass, my invention comprehends suitable practices in glass fabrication to obtain the desired shapes. Referring again to Figs. l and 2 it will be seen that I have provided piston closures I9 and 2| in the upper end of the chambers l1 and IB, respectively, these pistons being shaped to conform to the cross-section of the respective chambers. Similarly shaped Stoppers 22 and 23 are inserted into the lower end of the respective chambers, each stopper having a peripheral iiange 24 abutting against the lower end of the cartridge body to prevent inward displacement of the stopper when it is pierced by a canula 25 at the time of inserting the cartridge into the syringe. In Fig. 4 I have shown a single stopper 26 for both chambers Il and i9, in which case the dividing wall I6 is shortened at 21 and the stopper is recessed to bridge over and seat against this end of the wall. The syringe has a suitable barrel body 28 equipped with a hypodermic needle 29 which connects with the canula 25 above mentioned and is located in alignment with one of the chambers of the cartridge, On the opposite end oi' the barrel a plunger 30 is carried on a suitable cap 3| in alignment with the chamber at the discharging station, 'I'he plunger 39 is equipped with a head 32 shaped to correspond substantially with the piston I9. The cap 3l may be threaded onto the barrel, or it may be secured in position through means of bayonet connections having pins 33 projecting from the barrel and engaging in bayonet slots 34 in the cap. These connections are shown only in vertical section in Figure 1, but connections of this kind are well known, and it is believed that the present showing is sufficient. With this construction the cap 3i will be locked in position with its plunger head in proper regis' tration with the hypodermic needle. In order to insure that the interposed cartridge will be properly position, suitable means such as markings or indicia 35 may be provided on the top end of the barrel as shown in Fig. 2 for registration of the dividing wall IE therewith, thus insuring proper registration of either selected chamber with the plunger. Suitable means may be provided if desired for holding the cartridge seated in the barrel, as, for example, by means of a spring element 36 acting between the cap 3i and the upper end of the cartridge. It will be apparent that the cartridge I may be positioned in the barrel to locate either chamber in the discharging position, and that each chamber is emptied individually, independently of the other. In order to withdraw the cartridge after one chamber has been emptied, I have provided an ejector in the form of an end plate 31 normally located in the bottom of the barrel 'I'his end plate has dimetrically opposite projections extending through longitudinal openings 38 in the barrel and equipped beyond the same with suitable nger grips 39. It will be apparent that in changing from one chamber to the other in what may be termed the indexing operation, the cap 3| is rst removed and the ejector 31 is then moved upwardly by manipulation of the nger grips 39 withdrawing the stopper 22 from the canula, whereupon the cartridge may be indexed to position the other chamber in proper registration with the discharging position. However, my invention contemplates indexing the cartridge without removing the cap 3i or any part; and this may be done by movement of the cartridge lengthwise into the barrel and then indexing, or by withdrawing the canula and indexing.

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 I have shown another form of my invention in which the cartridge, designated generally by 49, is dimetrically divided longitudinally by a wall 4I as previously described, and is further divided by transverse walls 42 forming in this instance individual chambers 43, 44, 45 and 46. Each chamber is permanently closed or sealed at its inner end and has a piston closure 41 in its outward end conforming to the crosssectional shape of the chamber as shown in Fig. '7. In this form of the invention there is provided within the barrel 48 an abutment 49 spaced above the bottom of the barrel a distance corresponding approximately with the travel of the piston within the longest chamber, this abutment being located oil center at what might be termed a discharging station in longitudinal alignment with one of the chambers of the cartridge, The canula 59 extends upwardly from the abutment 49 and communicates with the hypodermic needle 5I, it being apparent that the canula pierces a piston when the cartridge is inserted into the barrel with any selected chamber in proper alignment or registration with the discharging station identied by the abutment 49. The canula might, oi course, be inserted from the bottom after the cartridge has been properly positioned in the syringe. The plunger 52 carried on a suitable cap 53 is provided with a head 54 shaped to engage the end of the cartridge for moving the latter lengthwise in the barrel in a medicament discharging stroke, in this instance the head covering the entire end of the cartridge so as to engage the end walls thereof. An ejector 55 generally similar to that above described, may be manipulated to eject the cartridge after one chamber has been emptied or to return the cartridge to an upper position in which it may be indexed to present another chamber at the discharging station. It will be apparent that by removing the cartridge and inverting it end for end, a second series of ampules may be used.

My invention contemplates interiorly dividing the cartridge by one or more longitudinal walls into two or more medicament-containing chambers or ampules. The cartridges I5 and 4B above described have been divided longitudinally by a single Wall into chambers of substantially semicircular cross-sections. In Figs. 9, and ll the interior longitudinal walls are arranged to provide three, four and ve chamber, respectively, and where transverse walls are provided, these cartridges would have six, eight and ten chambers, respectively. The tube need not be round but may be of any shape desired, such, for exexample, as a square cross-section as shown in Fig. 13, and the interior may be suitably divided in accordance with the foregoing. In Fig. 12 I have shown two round tubes joined together in parallel relation forming a single cartridge. In Fig. 14 the cartridge is made up of six individual tubes which have been reformed in cross-section to the shape shown and united to make a single body. The various forms shown in Figs. 9-14, inclusive, are illustrative o'f the many modifications within the scope of my invention. It will be understood that where any of these cartridges are used in a hypodermic syringe the barrel body as well as the discharging means will be constructed to conform to the structural characteristics of the particular cartridge, it being apparent, however, that in the case of round tubular bodies of uniform diameter one syringe might be adapted for cartridges having diil'erent numbers of chambers. From this it will be seen that my invention contemplates the provision of cartridges having a multiplicity of chambers, that is, two or more containing either the same or different medicaments, or the same or diierent volumetric capacities, and in which any chamber may be selected for use at the will of the practitioner, or said chambers may be used in succession, This ailords certain advantages. economies and conveniences not possible with a single chamber cartridge.

It is believed that the foregoing conveys a good understanding of the objects prefaced above,

and it will be apparent that in the practice of my invention many changes may be made in the construction and arrangement o! the cartridge chambers as well as of the hypodermic syringes in which these cartridges are used, without departing. from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claim. in which I claim:

A cartridge adapted for use in a hypodermic syringe comprising a tubular body having longitudinal and transverse interior walls dividing the body into longitudinally andtransverseiy spaced individual chambers each adapted to contain a medicament. and a piston closure in the outer end o! each chamber.

JACOB A. SAFFIR.

CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,168,686.

August e. 1959.

JACOB A. SAFFIR.

`It is hereby certified that the name of the assignee in the above numbered patent was erroneously described andspecified as Multiple Corporation" whereas said name should have been described and specified as "Multipule Corporation, of Chicago, Illinois, a corporation of Illinois, as shown by the record of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent shouldberead with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office. r

Signed and sealed this 26th day of September, A. D. 1959.

(Seal) HenryV Van Arsdale, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

and it will be apparent that in the practice of my invention many changes may be made in the construction and arrangement o! the cartridge chambers as well as of the hypodermic syringes in which these cartridges are used, without departing. from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claim. in which I claim:

A cartridge adapted for use in a hypodermic syringe comprising a tubular body having longitudinal and transverse interior walls dividing the body into longitudinally andtransverseiy spaced individual chambers each adapted to contain a medicament. and a piston closure in the outer end o! each chamber.

JACOB A. SAFFIR.

CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,168,686.

August e. 1959.

JACOB A. SAFFIR.

`It is hereby certified that the name of the assignee in the above numbered patent was erroneously described andspecified as Multiple Corporation" whereas said name should have been described and specified as "Multipule Corporation, of Chicago, Illinois, a corporation of Illinois, as shown by the record of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent shouldberead with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office. r

Signed and sealed this 26th day of September, A. D. 1959.

(Seal) HenryV Van Arsdale, Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

